ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., November 18, 2024 — The St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller’s office will host a special ceremony on Friday, Nov. 22, at 10:00 AM to celebrate National Adoption Day. The event will be held at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, marking the culmination of a long adoption process for six local children joining their forever families.

“Our office is proud to host this joyous event,” said John Rundgren, Clerk Designee. “We are honored to play a role in the adoption process, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with these local families.”

In 2023, our Family Law Clerks provided support during court proceedings that formed 76 new families. When adoptive parents seek permanency with a child, our clerks process the petition for adoption, administer oaths, and provide certified copies of the final judgment. Since January, petitioners have filed 65 adoption cases in St. Johns County.

“Most of the time, I see families in crisis,” said Circuit Court Judge Christopher Ferebee, who will preside over the final hearings at the ceremony. “This is the polar opposite of that. I finally get to experience happiness and joy in a courtroom.”

St. Johns County handles all family-related cases – including adoptions – under a Unified Family Court model. This comprehensive approach assigns one judge to oversee all matters involving one family, providing continuity for children adopted out of foster care.

Hosted in partnership with St. Johns County Family Integrity Program, the Seventh Judicial Circuit, Guardian Ad Litem, and the Florida Department of Children and Families, this public event is an opportunity for the community to celebrate the final hearing in adoption cases with these families.

For more information, see the invitation here and watch this video featuring remarks from the Honorable Judge Howard O. McGillin and the Honorable Judge Christopher Ferebee, both assigned to the Unified Family Court Division in St. Johns County.